Tracking and aiming devices find application in cross-country military vehicles such as tanks. In conventional tracking and aiming devices, aiming is difficult if not impossible when the vehicle is moving. Conventional systems provided means by which a target can be observed during vehicle movement, typically viewing ports or periscopic deflection viewing devices. In order to sight the target however, the observer must align the aiming device with the target. Typical aiming devices have only a small opening angle for viewing and therefore must be directed into substantial alignment with the target. During this process however, the observer cannot keep the target in sight in the means provided for observation. During travel over uneven ground or in the case of travel around a curve, the observer may easily lose the target completely. Whenever the aiming device is stabilized, i.e., whenever it is uncoupled in at least one axis from the movement of the vehicle, e.g. by means of a gyro arrangement, then the finding of the target with the aiming device will be made still more difficult because the observer experiences the movements of the vehicle while the aiming device does not.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a target tracking and aiming device operable while the vehicle to which the device is attached moves over uneven terrain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method by which a target may be tracked by an aimable device such as a gun or energy transmitting device mounted on a moving vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a means for tracking a target with an aimable device which may be employed in conjunction with a rotating periscopic viewing apparatus.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the claims and from the following description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.